A packet-based computer network is a group of network devices, such as routers, switches, endpoint devices, and servers, which are interconnected in such a manner as to permit the exchange of network packets between any two or more of the network devices. Large enterprises may operate computer networks that include hundreds or even thousands of geographically distributed network devices. Subnets within an enterprise frequently have particular functional requirements relating to, for example, access control and quality of service (QoS). The continual increase in size and complexity of computer networks has similarly increased the challenge of managing, configuring and verifying the operation of the computer network and the devices within the network. Moreover, an improperly configured network device may leave the enterprise system vulnerable to network security threats. These network vulnerabilities, when combined with the topological and functional complexity of the enterprise, multiply the anxieties of system administrators seeking to protect and ensure the desired operation of the enterprise network.
Conventional methods for testing the operation of an enterprise network and the proper configuration of individual network devices in the network include distributing network analysis components to strategic locations within the enterprise. Administrators assign tasks to the components, such as directing the components to operate as source nodes on the network to generate particular traffic patterns. Other components installed as nodes on the network operate as distributed packet sniffers to capture the packets traversing the network. Administrators then typically use a packet analyzer to decode the packets to understand the behavior and characteristics of the traffic. In effect, such methods provide a high-level understanding of the network's handling of traffic but provides limited ability of the administrator to confirm the proper configuration of individual network devices. In addition, provisioning and deploying a network analysis system including its various components can be expensive and cumbersome.